country

Xue Poye sat quietly for a while, touched his nose, and finally said: "Da Chu has been established for so many years, it is difficult to shake the foundation based on imagination, not to mention that the situation is not clear, hasn't the frontier army turned back yet? If the Ministry of punishment and the Kyoto government investigate early The whereabouts of the missing silver will turn the corner, and before that, we'd better not act rashly."

The green lady looked at Xue Poye, her eyes flashed with strangeness, but she didn't say anything after all, but she said clearly: "Amitabha, even if we can't get these lost silver, as long as the court can't get it, we can sit on the mountain Watching tigers fight."

Xue Poye stood up, tidied up his armor, and said, "I'll go first, and I'll come back when I have news to tell you guys, remember, without me, you don't act rashly, otherwise...!" His face turned cold : "Otherwise, don't blame me for turning my face."

Lady Lv and Mingxu whispered: "Yes."

"****." Xue Poye muttered, "Damn it, did the money really grow wings and fly? It's strange." Shaking his head, he was about to go out.

"Cousin." Mingxu called out cautiously.

Xue Poye said impatiently: "What? If you want to eat, you can find Mrs. Lv. Good sister, just give him a few plates of tofu at noon."

Ming Xu hurriedly said: "No, no, I just want to ask my cousin, do you know the origin of the Ministry of Household Bank? Do you know who built the Bank of Household Bank?"

Xue Poye's heart trembled, he turned around and said, "You know?"

Ming Xu nodded.

Xue Poye hurriedly said: "Sister, go to the back kitchen and tell me, some big bowls of fish meat for lunch, yes, the lion head and lotus leaf chicken are also good, come for two, go and go."

Lady Lv gave Xue Poye a blank look, spat at him, but still got up and left.

Xue Poye took Ming Xu's hand and said cordially: "Cousin, come, sit down and talk."

Ming Xu was flattered, sat down next to the chair with his buttocks, and said with emotion: "Cousin, you are so enthusiastic, you are so enthusiastic."

Xue Poye urged: "Cousin, you seem to know the situation of the Bank of the Ministry of Households? Come and talk to me, I really don't understand anything about it, please enlighten me."

"Cousin, let me make it clear to you first. Although I know the origin of the bank of the Ministry of Households, I have nothing to do with the batch of missing money. Don't think that you have anything to do with me, otherwise I dare not Said." Mingxu said cautiously.

Xue Poye hurriedly said: "No, no, tell me quickly, I'm all ears." He smiled secretly in his heart: "Even if this matter has something to do with you, I don't believe it. Thousands of officials and silver disappeared. You have the ability ?"

Mingxu thought for a while, then slowly said: "According to what I know, the household bank of Dachu has been built for more than [-] years. Compared with the long river of time, this time is almost a snap of the fingers. time, but for each of us secular people, it is a very long time."

"Don't sing poetry." Xue Poye frowned.

Mingxu chuckled, and then said: "The bank of the household department was built by the Gongsun family in Gongsun City."

"The Gongsun family?"

"That's right." Mingxu said solemnly, "If the Gongsun family says they are number two when it comes to building cities, treasuries, and institutions, then no one dares to say that they are number one. Their family has been studying mechanism techniques since the Warring States period. There is also the Mohist school who also developed mechanism techniques, both sides were in Qin Dynasty, mechanism techniques had reached their peak period, the so-called one mountain cannot be dissociated, at that time, the two families began to become rivals, each mastered, fighting in mechanism techniques."

"Everyone is the master?"

Ming Xu nodded and said: "In the Qin Dynasty, the Six Kingdoms perished and tried to restore them, and the Mohist institution assisted the Six Kingdoms to succeed, and the Gongsun family supported the Great Qin. Both sides were masters, fighting to the death. In this struggle, the mechanism technique It's all about Fei's improvement. Originally, both sides had to be evenly matched, but later, the Gongsun family produced an unworldly genius called Gongsun Bai."

"Gongsun Bai?" Xue Poye tried his best to find out the name of this person from the knowledge in his mind, but unfortunately it was blank, or in other words, the person Gongsun Bai was not recorded in the history books.

"Before him, the two sides were just mechanical carpentry institutions. Although they were powerful, they were not earth-shattering, but this Gongsun Bai was able to use mountains, rivers and mountains as organs. Those gurgling rivers and misty clouds and mountains could become He is a tool for mechanism skills." Ming Xu's face showed a look of incomparable admiration: "It is no exaggeration to say that he is a world-class genius, and at that time in Jiuwei Mountain, [-] volunteers from the Six Kingdoms were trapped alive in it, when they came out , there are less than a thousand people left, and the rest were punished by the mountain authorities."

Xue Poye was surprised and said: "This... so powerful? 2 people, just... just wiped out by the mechanism?"

Mingxu nodded: "That's right. After this battle, the Gongsun family's mechanism technique is unrivaled in the world. When the Great Qin destroyed the country, it had already defeated the Mohist family. From then on, the mechanism technique has been dominated by the Gongsun family."

"What happened later?" Xue Poye was quite interested in this story.

Ming Xu pondered for a while before he said sadly: "After all, Gongsun Bai's murder was too serious. After the Qin Dynasty was destroyed, the Gongsun family had no support and enemies came. The clansmen who came down went to Kunlun in the northwest, and built Gongsun City in Kunlun Mountain."

Xue Poye had heard the name of Gongsun City before, knew it was a strange city, and was even more curious: "After Gongsun City is built, no one will go to take revenge?"

Ming Xu shook his head and said: "No, Gongsun Bai and his family hid in the northwestern Kunlun Mountains and built Gongsun City. This matter was soon known by the enemies. Group after group of enemies flocked to Gongsun City, even some officials Everyone shouted for revenge, now that I think about it, I am afraid that many people want to get the Gongsun family's organ technique, which is a mysterious technique in the world, and everyone is flocking to it, in the name of revenge, and to seize the technique."

Xue Poye sighed: "This is the human heart." After pondering for a while, he suddenly smiled and said: "But I think that Gongsun Bai has the talent to know the world, and he chose to build Gongsun City on the edge of Kunlun Mountain, which is also the last way out. Breaking through, I am afraid it will be difficult to reach the blue sky."

Mingxu said repeatedly: "That's right, that's it, dozens of groups of people want to capture Gongsun Bai, force out the tricks from him, or find Gongsun Bai's "Essentials of Tricks" compiled by Gongsun Bai in Gongsun City , but before entering Gongsun City, people were killed by the authorities on the road. It is said that there are so many people and horses, but no one can reach the gate of Gongsun City. The organs of Gongsun City have been passed down from generation to generation, until now, Gongsun City is still one of the most mysterious and dangerous places in the world."

"In this case, why did the Gongsun family work with the court to build the household treasury?" Xue Poye asked puzzled, "Aren't they an isolated family?"

Mingxu sighed, and said: "Speaking of which, there are quite a few people who know about it. It is said that Suxi, Emperor Yangwu of Great Chu, traveled all over the world. When he was young, he liked to walk among the people in disguise, and he was even more skilled in martial arts. It is said that at the age of 20, he had reached the cultivation level of a five-way martial artist, and he can be said to be an all-rounder in both civil and military affairs."

Xue Poye was stunned. He knew very little about the history of Great Chu. He only knew that the founding emperor was the Marquis of Chu in the Northwest. As for Emperor Yangwu, he had never heard of it. He felt ashamed in his heart. This empire, it seems, will have to review its history when it comes back.

"Then what is the friendship between Emperor Yangwu and the Gongsun family?" Xue Poye wondered.

Mingxu sighed: "They are really related. A young descendant of the Gongsun family has traveled in the world, and I don't know how to be seen by others... According to my subordinates, I am afraid that I accidentally revealed my organ skills, so I was caught by others." See, this is a good move, he was immediately followed, naturally to force him to reveal the secrets of mechanism techniques. It is said that there were hundreds of people chasing and killing this young junior of the Gongsun family, and many of them were good hands. The junior saw that he was doomed However, it was Emperor Yangwu who saved this junior when he was in danger, and that junior should repay the kindness of Emperor Yangwu even if he wanted to."

"Knowing how to repay kindness is what a gentleman does." Xue Poye nodded and said, "It's just that Emperor Yangwu is a man, so I don't think he will let him repay his kindness?"

Although Ming Xu is Qing Lianzhao's person and has the responsibility of opposing Chu and returning to Shu, he seems to have a lot of respect and admiration for this Mingjun of Great Chu: "That is natural, and Emperor Yangwu naturally refuses to accept it. Don't try to repay your kindness. If you save others but accept repayment, wouldn't that be against righteousness? Seeing this situation, the back of the Gongsun family didn't insist. Can't hide."

"Emperor Yangwu is righteous, but this descendant of the Gongsun family is also a person of noble character." Xue Poye praised.

Ming Xu took a sip of his tea, maybe the tea was cold, clicked his tongue, and then slowly said: "This matter has passed for many years, until Emperor Yangwu ascended the throne and wanted to rebuild the household treasury, at this time, That junior from the Gongsun family reappeared, and I don’t know how he knew that the savior was Emperor Yangwu, and he insisted on repaying his favor, and asked Emperor Yangwu to allow him to plan and build the household treasury.”

"Should the emperor agree this time?" Xue Poye asked with wide-eyed eyes.

Mingxu nodded and said: "Firstly, the younger generation is determined, and secondly, it is also because they consider that the treasury of the household department is an important place in the country, and it cannot be sloppy. Institutions, the bank is as solid as gold. His Majesty the Emperor agreed to the request of the younger generation, and entrusted him with the project of the Ministry of Household Bank. The younger generation will stay for three years. When the bank is completed, it will float away. No trace was found."

Xue Poye said with emotion: "Come and go without a trace, just like a god, the people of the Gongsun family really have the bearing of an outsider." After a pause, he frowned and said: "This is even more strange. , the household bank treasury is as solid as gold, how could tens of millions of taels of official silver disappear out of thin air?"

Mingxu heshi said: "Amitabha, or the way of heaven, the great Chuhe should perish."

Xue Poye frowned, rubbed his nose and pondered for a long time, and then said in a low voice: "Cousin, I want to ask you, is it really important for the Great Chu to destroy the country?"

Mingxu was taken aback for a moment, and quickly said: "The great Chu destroyed the country, and the Hou Shu country can be revived. Duo...cousin, why do you ask such a question?"

Xue Poye said indifferently: "The Kingdom of Houshu is just a place in the middle of Sichuan. If the Great Chu is destroyed, the world will be in chaos. Qinglianzhao may really be able to restore the country in the middle of Sichuan, but many people will always die in this world. Yes, you are a disciple of Buddhism, do you have the heart to watch the people of the world die under the sword and fire, and live in ashes?"

He is not pretending to be righteous, think about the rise and fall of many empires that he has seen in TV and movies, all of them suffered disasters for the people.

He has never seen a real scene of killing and fighting, but just thinking about the compatriots who were killed and injured in the Wenchuan earthquake before crossing, he feels the pain of death.

Perhaps, what the common people expect most is a peaceful life, and the change of dynasty is just a game for politicians, and the pawns in the game are innocent people in the world.

Seeing Mingxu's dumbfounded face, Xue Poye smiled wryly and said, "Perhaps you haven't thought about it, the Central Plains is in chaos, the Khitan, the Tubo, even Korea, and our biggest enemy Beihu, how could they Sit back and ignore them, at that time, they will definitely take advantage of the chaos, and our Great Chu Kingdom will be in real danger by then."

Mingxu was taken aback for a moment, his rather honest face was full of bewilderment, and after a while, he said: "Then... then is it wrong for us to turn against Chu and Shu?"

Xue Poye sighed: "What is wrong? What is right? It is always right to let everyone live a good life, and it is always wrong to let everyone live a peaceful life. You come from Buddhism, and these ideals must be clearer than me."

"Live in peace?" Mingxu said to himself, with a dazed look on his face, as if he was thinking about something: "Isn't this the meaning of my Buddha? But... our teachings, then It's going against Chu Fushu...I...eh...I'm really confused, I...have I been wrong all this time?"

Xue Poye stood up, walked slowly towards the door, suddenly stopped, and said indifferently: "You can tell the chief helmsman or military adviser to know what I said."

Ming Xu was taken aback, then shook his head suddenly and said: "I am your subordinate, I only obey your orders, what you say to me will only enter my ears, and... cousin, I think what you said is not unreasonable. "

A smile appeared on the corner of Xue Poye's mouth, and he said softly: "With your wisdom, you can understand the truth."

People from the Ministry of Criminal Justice are patrolling around in secret, hoping to find even a trace of clues. Unfortunately, it seems that this batch of money has been stolen by ghosts. The heaven and earth net, this heaven and earth net, not only made the people in Kyoto tremble with fear, but even the members of the Ministry of Criminal Justice were strangled to the point of suffocation.

His Majesty the Emperor summoned Moi, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Wei Shantai, Yin of the Kyoto Prefecture, and ordered the two of them to retrieve Ku Yin as quickly as possible, otherwise... His Majesty the Emperor did not say the consequences, but both of them learned from His Majesty's instructions. Seeing murderous intent in his expression, even Wei Shantai, the dark leader trusted by His Majesty the Emperor, felt unprecedented panic.

Wei Shantai understood that His Majesty must be extremely shocked and extremely anxious, but because he is the Ninth Five-Year Lord, he cannot show panic in front of his courtiers.

Luo Wuyan's beheading had already shown His Majesty's wrath, and no one could tell whether he would be next.

Xue Poye personally sits in the Treasury of the Household Department and leads the Habayashi guards to guard it. Although tens of millions of taels of official silver have been lost, the Treasury of the Household Department is still quiet and solemn.

Prince Yin was really disappointed.

For two consecutive days, he stood in the bank courtyard, with a look of despair that was impossible to appear on his face. He knew that he was almost dizzy, and Xue Poye sent him back to the palace forcibly.

Seeing Prince Yin's appearance, Xue Poye felt the cruelty of the power struggle even more.

Just imagine that not long ago, Prince Yin was still high-spirited, with trump cards in his hands, and a huge power, but after less than two months, he was reduced to what he is today. Not only has his power almost disappeared, but even himself has been stolen because of Kuyin Incidents, there is always the worry of being convicted.

Although I haven't seen Prince Fu over there, I'm afraid life will not be too easy.

When the clouds were overcast in Kyoto, Emperor Deqing was walking on a smooth marble slab under the guard of eunuchs. In his eyes, there were plum blossoms and chrysanthemums that were only found in winter. Not far away, there was a bamboo forest. It is full of snow and looks extremely freehand.

This is the Compassionate Palace, Emperor Deqing's mother, the current Empress Dowager is admiring the flowers in the palace with the support of the maids.

"Huan'er, look, when the heavy snow falls, all the flowers in the world are hiding, but the plum blossoms are in full bloom, and I will spend this long winter with my old man." The queen mother looked at the plum blossoms on the branches with a smile on her face. Smile kindly.

The Queen Mother has always been kind to the maids in the palace, so in the hearts of many court ladies, the Queen Mother is just a kind old man.

"Queen, look, this year's plum blossoms seem to be particularly beautiful." The maid supporting the queen said, pointing to the plum blossoms on the branches.

The queen mother was accompanied by four or five court ladies, all of whom were young and beautiful, like a group of cute little orioles.

The queen mother smiled kindly, and said softly: "There are many beautiful flowers, so it's better to be simple and elegant." A strange look flashed across her not old eyes, and she said softly: "It's like a woman, it's better to be simple and elegant." , if it is too beautiful, it will look vicious on the contrary, if you are born into a prodigal family in an ordinary family, you will lose your country if you are born in an emperor's palace."

The Queen Mother's words naturally have deep meaning, but unfortunately, these innocent court ladies have not been too heavily polluted by the palace's conspiracies and tricks, and they don't think there is anything wrong with these words, let alone comprehend the empress dowager's words. Chill down to the bone.

"Queen Mother, it's very cold outside, so I'd better go back and rest." The maid next to her persuaded.

The empress dowager seemed to be thinking about something, but she didn't hear clearly, she just looked at the plum blossoms on the branch, and was in a daze. The sound probably startled her.

A eunuch hurried over and said respectfully, "Report to the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty is waiting in the rear pavilion!"

The empress dowager came back to her senses in deep thought, frowned slightly, and said lightly: "Is he here?" The only one was silent, and said softly: "Go back to the house." Surrounded by all the maids, she walked back slowly Inside the house, with the support of the court lady, he walked slowly to the back pavilion of the palace.

There is a stove burning here, it is very warm, Emperor Deqing is standing by the window, staring at the snow scene outside the window in a daze.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Emperor Deqing turned around and saw the Empress Dowager walking into the pavilion, so he stepped forward quickly, bowed and said, "The emperor pays his respects to the Empress Dowager."

"That's all." The Empress Dowager said indifferently, sitting on the warm chair with the support of the maid, staring at Emperor Deqing.

Emperor Deqing sat down on the warm chair beside him, gazed at the Empress Dowager, and asked softly, "How is the Empress Dowager?"

The empress dowager sighed, and said: "The emperor manages a lot of things every day, so he still remembers his old body. I thought the emperor had forgotten me as an old woman long ago."

Emperor Deqing hurriedly said: "The emperor's son is guilty, please let the queen mother down."

The Empress Dowager shook her head, looked at Emperor Deqing's tired face, finally showed a gentle look on his face, and said softly: "Emperor, although the state affairs are important, you still have to pay attention to your body and don't overwork yourself."

"Thank you mother for caring!" Emperor Deqing forced a smile, looked left and right, and said, "Did Qiong'er not come?"

The Empress Dowager smiled and said: "That girl has too many things to do, but compared to you, I can see you once in two or three days." After a pause, she looked at the top of Emperor Deqing, and sighed: "Emperor, your Bai There are more...!"

Emperor Deqing smiled wryly: "Is it white again? I haven't looked in the mirror for a long time."

"You have worked too hard these days. I am afraid that you have spent a lot of thought in order to clear your son's power?" The empress dowager stared at Emperor Deqing and said calmly: "Are you doing this because you are afraid that they will threaten the prince, or is there What other reason?"

A gleam of coldness flashed across Emperor Deqing's eyes, and he said indifferently: "The factional disputes in the court, this is what the emperor taboos the most. I didn't expel those two rebellious sons, and I was very merciful."

The Empress Dowager smiled coldly and said, "Is there still no clue about the Bank of the Household Bank?"

Emperor Deqing shook his head, frowning: "Mother, this incident has never happened in the century-old history of my Great Chu, and the emperor still can't figure it out. The huge official silver disappeared." At this point, Emperor Deqing suddenly coughed violently, tearing his heart and lungs, and after a while, he took out a yellow scarf from his arms and wiped the corners of his mouth. On the yellow scarf stood red bloodshot eyes. .

The Empress Dowager's expression turned cold, and she said, "You...!"

Seeing that there was no one around, Emperor Deqing smiled wryly and said, "Recently, the emperor feels more and more uncomfortable, coughing up blood every night...!" ……come here……!"

Emperor Deqing got up and walked slowly to the Empress Dowager, sat down, stared at his mother, and said softly: "The emperor always thinks, maybe... maybe my days are numbered...!"

The Empress Dowager was extremely shocked, she put her trembling hand on Emperor Deqing's shoulder, her face was sad, and the other hand stroked Emperor Deqing's face, it was extremely soft, and her voice was choked up: "You...you... Can't...can't...can't...!"

Emperor Deqing put his head on the empress dowager's shoulder, and said softly: "Life and death are up to fate. Although the emperor is the emperor, he can't...but he can't control his own life and death...!"

The empress dowager was in tears, and hugged Emperor Deqing tightly in her arms, and her love for the baby completely replaced the power struggle at this time.